Christmas Shopping: Who Should Arsenal Buy?

Obscure and uncelebrated recruitments are often synonymous with transfers to N5. Arsene plucks youngsters from the world’s most esoteric regions so that he does not need to spend large amounts of the board’s money on players like Luka Modric (£16.5 million), or Robbie Keane (£20 million).

Summer signings such as Amaury Bischoff and Francis Coquelin would have had opposition fans smirking at the thought of Arsene Wenger replacing experienced heads like Gilberto and Mathieu Flamini with either raw French teenagers from Ligue 2, or crocked Portugal U21 internationals who can only muster a handful of games in a number of years.

In a similar manner to how Flamini emerged in the 2007 Emirates tournament, a young gun from the current squad was expected to stake a claim for a starring role this year. Denilson is one of the current Gunners who has received the wrath of an angry and frustrated Arsenal army this term, whose side, they feel, are not yet firing on any of their many cylinders.

The Brazilian though is one of the stand-out midfield performers of the current Premier League season, according to the Opta index. Opta – Europe’s leading compiler of sports data - have consistently ranked Denilson as one of the top five passers in the league, based on his total passes after 18 league games bursting through the 1150 mark, together with his 86 per cent accuracy rating.

Despite his ability to find a team-mate, he is not the partner that Francesc Fabregas requires. In fact, his presence has been to the detriment of the influential Spaniard’s most dangerous talents. In order to accommodate Denilson into midfield, Cesc has occupied a deeper position, and has thus not been able to score as many as he had done this time last season, and has instead focussed on his ‘quarterback’ role.

Chinks In The Armour

Arsenal’s no 4 will be sorely missed over the next four months. His injury though may spur Wenger on in the winter window. When the Gunners were at their most recent dangerous they played swift, one-touch, attacking football. But that was when Flamini would anchor a defensive four while Tomas Rosicky, Aliaksandr Hleb, and Cesc Fabregas could combine so efficiently and supply Togolese targetman Emmanuel Adebayor with balls that every forward dreams of.

Currently, Arsenal are without all four. Two have moved on: to Milanese ventures or pastures Barca, while the remainding pair will ensure that the club’s doctors have a busy new year. Adding a body in midfield must therefore be considered a mandatory requirement.

Problems in defence are also prevalent. Arsenal previously lacked height in central defence (Both William Gallas and Kolo Toure are no taller than 6’0) and struggled with balls over the top. These were facts not lost on Wenger who tried to rectify the problem by testing Swiss international Johan Djourou (6’3) with added pitch time.

While a Gallas and Djourou partnership (0.71 goals leaked per game) has been the most efficient in terms of aiding Manuel Almunia’s first port of call: minimising goals, Arsenal’s most recent concession arrived in last weekend’s tie with Liverpool, where Robbie Keane capitalised from a propitious over-the-top pass lobbed in route one style by Danish centre back Dan Agger. But this was more down to a further fault Arsenal’s rearguard have developed over the duration of the current season.

The backline play too high up the pitch and their collective positioning is not tight enough. Legendary right-back Lee Dixon recently affirmed that Gallas and Djourou do not play as close to the other as they should, and as such leave gaps. Couple this with playing a high line and you are begging for opportunist balls either through the middle, or over the top, so that a pacey striker like Robbie Keane can run in off the shoulder and take on Almunia mano e mano.

The defensive frailty is a tactical one, and something that Wenger will be stressing onto his players on the training ground. As such, the more pressing area to reinvest in the squad must be midfield. 

The same position that Wenger should have supplemented last summer: defensive midfielder, should be top of the agenda, especially as Denilson can slot into Fabregas’ creative role.

Arsenal’s Christmas Shopping List

Likely List

In: Only Wenger knows.

Out: Simpson (One month Loan), West Bromwich Albion.

It is near enough impossible second-guessing Arsene Wenger in the transfer market because the Frenchman operates so shrewdly and secretly, while his extensive scouting systems scours this green and blue ball of ours for the next 'who?', or 'huh?'

While the newspaper press linked Wenger with a possible move for Valencia's David Villa, or Zenit's Andrei Arshavin last summer, the Gunners boss instead opted to bring in Coquelin. When whispers about Gokhan Inler were first mooted, Mikael Silvestre was snapped up.

Samir Nasri's transfer to north London was a special case. It was the deal you knew was going to happen, a month before it was finalised. But this was mainly down to Olympique Marseille's inabilty to keep quiet over the whole affair, as opposed to Arsenal TV, or arsenal.com broadcasting every detail of the ordeal.

Over the past ten days, the following footballers have been linked with an Emirates switch: Arshavin (Daily Mirror, Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph); Inler (The Express); Steven Mouyokolo (The Sun); Giorgio Chiellini (Daily Telegraph); Gervinho (Daily Telegraph); Phillippe Mexes (The Express); Steven Defour (News Of The World), none of which are likely to come to fruition for reasons either: too costly; unlikely to leave current club due to professed loyalty; or finally, it is just that: a ridiculous rumour.

My List

In:  Marc Janko (Red Bull Salzburg), Gareth Barry (Aston Villa), Rafael Carioca (Gremio), Brede Hangeland (Fulham).

Out: Nicklas Bendtner (Loan).

At the recent draw for the knockout stages in the Champions League and Uefa Cup in Nyon, Switzerland, Arsenal board member Danny Fiszman confirmed that there would be money for Wenger to spend, but iterated that it was up to Wenger if he would spend it.

I would spend it.

Arsenal are three or four players short of possessing a world class team. They had one two seasons back, and even arguably last year, but have regressed twice fold since. I would try to honour the traditional Red and White recruitment policy, while adding some much-needed experience, and proven quality.

Gareth Barry could do a plum job in partnering Fabregas, and the Villa midfielder can even provide fine passes of his own. His versatility would also be an asset, and the fact that I would be weakening the club’s biggest threat for the fourth Champions League spot (Villa) by adding one of their best players would make the transfer crucial in both the short term, and the long term.

Marc Janko and Brede Hangeland would both add height to the team. The former is currently Europe’s most prolific goal scorer, albeit in the Austrian Bundesliga. Nicklas Bendtner recently opined that he wanted regular first team football. I wouldn’t get rid of him completely, but the big Dane may benefit from a further loan spell away from the pressures and hyper criticisms that playing under the Ashburton Grove floodlights can bring.

Janko is a tall striker (6’5) who is currently scoring an average of one goal every 44 minutes. His total for the season thus far is 30 (five hat tricks), and he has set up a further three goals for his team. While Bendtner is away, Janko would be the perfect understudy for Adebayor. And the transfer could also have a positive effect on Manu knowing that there is a proven beast of a targetman with good off-the-ball movement vying for the role that he offers the club. His aerial presence could also benefit the back four while defending set pieces.

To further shore up the first third, Hangeland (6'5) could also be a good bit of business as he has constantly helped Fulham’s cause, and has helped maintain one of the best home records in the league with consistently assured performances at the back.

Honouring Arsenal’s ethic of buying promising young talent would be achieved with the purchase of Gremio’s Rafael Carioca, who is sure to burst onto the world scene over the next few years. He is again, a central midfielder – in the box to box fashion – and has been hailed as the new Dunga. His high energy levels could go a long way in replacing the running man himself; Mathieu Flamini. Even though an agreement is in place with Russian giants Spartak Moscow, a watchful eye on the lad for the rest of the season may be a good idea, with a view to purchase in the summer.

Both Barry and Hangeland would also provide Arsenal with something they seriously lack: leadership. The former has much experience wearing the armband for Aston Villa, while Hangeland is the national captain for Norway.

Alan Dawson, Goal.com